Off Season Blues

The off seasons is tough for many athletes because they want to keep pushing. They see taking a break as a let down in fitness are two steps backwards, when in fact the off season is a perfect change to take several steps forward.

When I first began endurance sports I never really had a true off season. I would finish swim competitions and triathlon season and go right into marathon training. I would never truly allow my body and my mind to actually rest and recover from a year long training cycle.

As I began to learn about off season and what it encompassed and the benefits I felt recharged, more confident, less anxious and a recharged state of being. I started to perform better at races the following year because of the off season. Here are some things to consider and put into practice during the off season that helped me tremendously and I believe it can help you as well.

Tip #1 - Be-Unorganized- After the last race of the season take a couple of weeks off. Take this time to be lazy. Watch tv, sleep in, read a book. In these first two weeks and even a week or two after allow yourself to work out but do it without specific intervals, paces or intensity. Just get outside and run or bike because you love it and not to hit a certain pace, heart rate or power zone. Taking organized structure out of training for a few weeks can greatly help you recharge your body and your mind and keep you from burning out.

Tip#2 - Social Exercising- If your like me and have spent a great deal of the season training solo, take this time to exercise with your friends and let it be non competitive. Treat it more as social time than anything else! Plan a run or ride from the local coffee or doughnut shop and keep it short, light and fun. Then spend a few hours after socializing. This is a great way to recharge and aid in not getting burnt out with training.

Tip#3 - Cross Train - If you have spent all season training as a runner for a marathon, ultra, half marathon, etc.. take this time to do something else besides run. Start cycling or even swimming! Strength training (which you should be doing anyway!), take yoga classes, group exercise, hiking. Do something but do something different and fun!

Tip #4- See tip 3- Strength training/cross training is super important. It helps prevent injury, strengthens our core - which is where power comes from- increases muscle density and strength of secondary muscle groups. It also allows you to get out of the singular plane of motion that happens during running. Strength training as we get older becomes even more important and crucial for training and race day success as it does with injury prevention.

Tip#5- Build your Weakness- The off season is a perfect time to work on any weaknesses you have. If you struggle with swimming or more specific crossing over your mid line in swimming use the off season as a change to focus on this and make it a strength for next year. Maybe your weakness is flexibility. Make it a priority to work on become more flexible and powerful in your core. This will go along way in become stronger, faster and remaining injury free!

Tip#6- Racing Recovery- Allow yourself recovery. Recovery does amazing things for the body. While working on weakness and strength training is important during the off season, take a break from the organized training. Take a break from racing as well. Your body can only peak so many times per year. If you race constantly without breaks you can increase your risk of injury, burn out and you'll see less pr's than you would like to.

Tip#7- Goal Setting- After allowing myself a few weeks off to be lazy I start outlining my goals for next year. I do this with my athletes as well. Usually in December is when I will give my athletes a little bit of off season homework. Outline your A goals at least and then we can go from there. I typically will target 1-2 A races per year. Then I will choose 2-3 B races that can help me prepare for those A races. I will throw in a couple of C type races just to have fun, no goals other than having fun, like a typical hot chocolate 5k run or something. All of your races can not be A races. There is a method to it, so if you have a coach make sure you sit down and discuss what these will be an the specific goals for each one.

Tip#8- Food Out- Allow yourself to enjoy and indulge in some of your favorite foods that you might have put on the no list during training and race season. Don't go crazy but take the time to enjoy yourself before you start getting back into that strict routine. I will allow myself one day during the week for the first month of off season to enjoy cookies or cheesecake.

I hope these tips help and gives you something to think about and shoot for this off season!

#coachraydelahoussaye